Customs informs importers on the latest amendment to the plant health directive 2000/29/EC - (EU) 2017/1279. The amendment was implemented with decree 13/17 by the Finnish Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture.
As of 1 January 2018, the importation of the fruits listed below to the territory of the European Union from countries outside the Union (third countries), unless these countries have, before 1 January 2018, provided the Commission with the information referred to in the annex to the decree (e.g. pest status or the used method of processing). The Commission publishes the provided third country notifications on its website where they can be checked prior to importation.
- Fruits of the species Citrus L., Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus Raf., Microcitrus Swingle, Naringi Adans., Swinglea Merr., and their hybrids, imported from countries outside the EU
- Fruits of the species Capsicum (L.), Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Punica granatum L. imported from the African continent, Cape Verde, Saint Helena, Madagascar, Mauritius and Israel
- Plants of the species Microcitrus Swingle, Naringi Adans. and Swinglea Merr. imported from countries outside the EU (does not concern plant fruits or seeds).
The Commission has also published an updated list of possible reduced plant health checks of plants under the scope of plant health directive 2000/29/EC (based on Commission Regulation EC/1756/2004). If a specific product is not included in the list, its check rate is 100 %, meaning that a reduced check rate does not apply to it and each consignment is checked.
Customs asks importers to note that the check rate of citrus fruits imported from Egypt and Israel will be 100 % as of 1 February 2018.
